Waste disposal apparatus



J. H. POWERS.

WASTE DISPOSAL APPARATUS March 12, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 24, 1954 INVENTOR.

JAMES H. POWERS HIS ATTORNEY March 12, 1957 J. H. POWERS WASTE] DISPOSAL APPARATUS Filed June 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheei; 2

FIG. 4

FIG. 5

1N! 'LN TOR.

JAMES H. POWERS HIS ATTORNEY WASTE DISPOSAL APPARATUS James H. Powers, Anchorage, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation ofNew York Application June 24, 1954, Serial No. 439,063

12 Claims. (Cl. 241-46) This invention relates to kitchen waste disposal apparatus of the type in which garbage and waste food materials are ground to small particle size in the presence of water and discharged into a plumbing line connected to a sewer system.

Waste disposers of the type to which this invention relates commonly have a comminution chamber or hopper mounted beneath a kitchen sink and connected to the sink drain opening so that waste materials may be inserted into the hopper through the drain opening. Im mediately below the comminution chamber and generally separated therefrom by rotary impeller mechanism is a drainage or ptunping chamber having an outlet opening to which the plumbing waste line is connected. In the operation of apparatus of this type waste material is comminuted in the comminution chamber in the presence of a continuous flow of water, the particles of comminuted waste material are entrained in the water and pass into the drainage chamber, and the mixture is pumped out of the drainage chamber into the waste line by the pump ing action of the rotary comminution or impeller mechanism.

One difficulty that has been experienced in connection with the operation of such apparatus is the failure of the comminution mechanism to always break or cut up into short lengths fibrous or stringy material such as celery or bean pod fibers. Such fibers tend to tangle or mat together in the drainage chamber and to pass into the drain line in the form of a slug which may lodge in the drain line and plug the line. Also such fibers may wrap around or interfere with the rotary seal commonly employed to protect the main motor bearing, resulting in leakage of water into the bearing and ultimately bearing failure.

A related difficulty which may be encountered is the possibility that liquid discharged from the disposer may be pumped up the sewer drain vent if semi-solid masses of material such as tangled fibers are pumped down the drain line beyond the vent pipe connection. To obviate this difficulty it is important that the discharge pressure of the disposer be sufficiently low to insure that semisolid masses will not be pumped far enough down the drain line to plug the Waste pipe below the vent pipe junction. However, it is equally important that comminuting efliciency not be sacrificed to achieve lower discharge pressures, as would be the case if a lower impeller speed were adopted.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a waste disposer having an improved drainage chamber arrangement which reduces or eliminates drain line clogging problems resulting from tangled or matted fibrous materials. 7

Another object of my invention is to provide waste disposal apparatus having a drainage chamber provided with means adapted to control the flow of waste material therein so as to minimize the tangling and matting of fibrous materials.

Another object of this invention is to provide flow 2,784,914 Patented Mar. 12, 1957 control means in a waste disposer drainage chamber adapted to control the flow of waste material therein and limit the discharge pressure of the device.

Further object and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

Briefly stated, I have achieved the foregoing objectives by providing, in a waste disposer having a rotary impeller element in a comminuting chamber overlying a generally annular drainage chamber, baffle members in the drainage chamber arranged to deflect and partially interrupt the circular flow of comminuted material so as to produce a flow pattern which minimizes tangling and matting of fibers and also reduces the discharge pressure of the apparatus.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be made to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical elevation partially in section of a kitchen waste disposer embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2--2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one part of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation view of the part shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a waste disposal device having a generally cylindrical casing or housing 1 enclosing a comminuting or shredding chamber 2 at the bottom of which the comminution of the waste material placed therein occurs. The upper end of housing 1 is provided with means suitable for supporting the device in the drain opening of a sink or the like, the supporting means including a supporting flange 3, a clamping flange 4 and clamping bolts 5, all arranged so that the open top of housing 1 is supported in alignment with the sink drain opening. Preferably a combined sink stopper and control device similar to that disclosed and claimed in my Patent 2,185,037 is removably supported in the sink drain opening and arranged to control the operation of the waste disposal unit.

At the lower end of housing 1 is a bottom flange member 6 carrying an electric motor (not shown) having a shaft 7 rotating in upper and lower bearings, only upper bearing 8 being shown. Flange member 6 is secured to the lower end of easing 1 by means of a plurality of bolts 9 (only one being shown) threaded into the bottom edge of the casing at spaced points around its periphery. These bolts carry under their heads clamping washers 10 which extend inwardly and engage portions of flange member 6. The assembly including flange member 6 and the motor supported thereon is enclosed by a shield 11 depending from the casing and secured by suitable means such as bolts passing through the bottom of the shield and engaging the frame of the motor.

The grinding or comminuting mechanism of the device is located at the bottom of shredding chamber 2 and includes a generally cylindrical wall member 12 removably seated in an annular recess 13 in the lower edge of housing 1. Resilient sealing and supporting gaskets 14 and 15 at the top and bottom respectively of wall 12 assist in the frictional holding of the parts in their proper positions and seal the joint between the casing and bottom flange member 6. These gaskets also reduce vibration which might be transmitted from the cotnminuting mechanism to the sink or other supporting structure. Carried on the inner surface of wall 12 are projecting shredding members 16 spaced at intervals around its periphery. Shredding members 16 cooperate with other elements of the shredding mechanism hereinafter described to form the comminuting means of my improved waste disposal device.

Positioned at the bottom of comminuting chamber 2 is a flywheel 17 threaded on the motor shaft 7 so as to ro tate therewith when the device is energized. On the top surface of flywheel 17 I provide a perforated wear plate 18 and at least one impeller blade 19 which may be similar to the impeller blades disclosed and claimed in my Patent 2,577,152.

In operation the rotary impeller means including flywheel 17, wear plate 18 and blade 19, rotating at high speed, causes a mixture of water and waste material to be whirled around the shredding chamber at a speed such that the solid particles are moved outward by centrifugal force and reduced or comminuted by being tumbled against the teeth or serrations of shredding members 16. There is also a further comminuting action resulting from the shearing action between the impeller blade 19 and shredding members 16. At the bottom of wall 12 and adjacent the periphery of flywheel 17 are located a series of straining grooves 20, the upper ends of which communicate with the comminuting chamber and the lower ends of which discharge into an annular drainage or pumping chamber 21 formed in flange member 6. As waste material in comminuting chamber 2 is shredded and reduced to small particles, a flowable mixture of water and such particles is discharged through grooves 20 into drainage chamber 21 and finally through an opening in the drainage chamber (see Figs. 4 and 5) to a drain line connected thereto.

The rotary impeller means which includes flywheel 17 overlies drainage chamber 21 and cooperates therewith to function as a centrifugal pump discharging into the plumbing drain line connected to the chamber. To exclude the water and waste material circulating in chamber 21 from motor bearing 8 'a conventional rotary seal including a disk 22 secured to flange member 6 and a rotating annular nose piece 23 secured to flywheel 17 is provided. As mentioned above, some d-ifliculty with this seal has been encountered in the past because of the tendency of vegetable fibers and the like to wrap around the nose piece and lift it out of sealing engagement with the fixed disk 22.

In accordance with the present invention I have provided an improved drainage chamber arrangement adapted to minimize the tangling and matting of fibrous materials passing therethrough and to suitably limit the discharge pressure without interferring with the comminutin-g efiiciency of the disposer with which it is associated. Referring in particular to Figs. 4 and 5, bottom flange member 6 illustrated therein includes a cylindrical outer wall 24, a cylindrical inner wall 25 and an annular bottom wall 26 downwardly inclined in spiral form in the direction of rotation of flywheel 17. These walls define annular drainage chamber 21 and cooperate with flywheel 17 to form pumping means for discharging comminuted waste material from the apparatus. An outlet opening 27 surrounded by a mounting boss 26 for the sewer drain line connection is provided in outer wall 24 adjacent the lowermost portion of bottom wall 26. It will be understood that with respect to Fig. 4 the direction of rotation of flywheel 17 is clockwise and that during operation of the apparatuswater and comminuted material in chamber 21 are impelled in a clockwise generally circular pattern from the highest section of bottom wall 26 to its lowermost portion adjacent outlet opening 27, and into the drain line connected thereto.

I have discovered that the matting and tangling of fibrous material in pumping chamber 21 may be substantially reduced or eliminated by the addition of baflle means in the form of interference ribs or baflle members projecting into chamber 21 from the outer and bottom walls and arranged to divert or otherwise interfere with the generally circular flow pattern of liquid circulating therein under the influence of the rotary impeller means. The baflie means of my invention also functions to reduce the discharge pressure of the apparatus. To achieve these results, one baffle member is located adjacent the outlet opening of the drainage chamber on its upstream side so as to partially divert or deflect the flow pattern along the walls of the chamber leading to the outlet. Additionally, one or more baflles may be located in the annular chamber at points further upstream from the outlet as far as a point approximately diametrically opposite the baffle adjacent the outlet. In other words, with respect to the circular flow pattern in the chamber, the baffle members should be located so that a waste particle traveling the entire 360 degree path around the axis of the annular chamber encounters baflles only after it is approximately 200 degrees or less from the outlet opening.

In the presently preferred form of my invention I provide a pair of baflie members in drainage chamber 21 located diametrically opposite each other and projecting from the outer and bottom walls of the chamber. Rib or b-atfle member 29 is located adjacent outlet opening 27 and projects from outer wall 24 and bottom wall 26 with its surfaces tapering downwardly and inwardly into the path of waste material flowing along these walls toward the outlet opening. While the surfaces or contours of baflie member 29 are smoothly curved or rounded, it has a generally triangular cross-section in planes both perpendicular and horizontal with respect to the axis of retation of flywheel 17. By virtue of its location adjacent outlet opening 27, baffle 29 is arranged to deflect the pat tern of flow through the opening. I also provide a second baffle member 30 which projects from outer wall 24 into drainage chamber 21 and is located diametrically opposite baflie member 29. Bafiie member 30 is somewhat smaller than baflle member 29 and is generally semi-circular in horizontal cross-section. Like baffle member 29, baffle member 30 tapers downwardly and inwardly into the path of waste material flowing in a circular pattern in the drainage chamber. In some applications it may be de sirable to utilize additional baflles located on wall 24 between baffles 29 and 30; for example, a third baflle spaced degrees from baflies 29 and 30 has proved to be advantageous under severe operating conditions.

It is believed that by providing baffle means :in accordance with my invention flow in the drainage chamber is controlled so as to minimize eddy currents and thus preserve a smoother flow not conducive to the rolling up or tangling of fibrous material. It is also possible that the decreased discharge pressures obtained in actual practice result from smoother flow and the elimination of surges, although the exact manner in which the baffles function to achieve "this desirable result is not fully understood.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular construction disclosed and I intend by the appended claims to cover all modifications within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. Waste disposal apparatus comprising a housing having a comminuting chamber with an inlet opening fior waste material, comminuting means in said chamber including rotary impeller means overlying a generally annular drainage chamber defined by spaced inner and outer walls and having an outlet opening through which comminuted material is discharged from said drainage chamber, and baflie means on said outer wall projecting into said drainage chamber for deflecting the circular flow of comminuted material away from said outer wall.

2. Waste disposal apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said baflie means includes a baffle member adjacent said outlet opening nrranged to deflect the flow of material discharged through said opening.

3. Waste disposal apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bafiie means includes a first bafiie member adjacent said outlet opening arranged to deflect the flow of material discharged through said opening, and a second bafiie member projecting from said outer wall substantially diametrically opposite said first baffle member.

4. Waste disposal apparatus comprising a housing having a comminuting chamber with an inlet opening for waste material, cornminuting means in said chamber including rotary impeller means overlying a generally annular drainage chamber having an outer wall and an outlet opening through which comminuted material is discharged from said drainage chamber, and battle means in said drainage chamber for deflecting the fiow of comminuted material away from said wall, said baflie means including a first bailie member having a generally triangular cross-section in planes both perpendicular and horizontal with respect to the axis of notation of said impeller means, said first baffle member being located adjacent said outlet opening and arranged to deflect the pattern of flow through said opening, and a second bafile member projecting from said outer wall substantially diametrically opposite said first baflle member.

5. Waste disposal apparatus comprising a housing having .a comminuting chamber with an inlet opening for waste material, comminuting means in said chamber in cluding rotary impeller means overlying a generally annular drainage chamber defined by a cylindrical outer wall, a cylindrical inner wall, and an annular bottom Wall downwardly inclined in spiral form in the direction of rotation of said impeller means, an outlet opening in said outer wall adjacent the lowermost portion of said bottom wall, and bafile means on said outer and bottom walls projecting into said drainage chamber adapted to interfere with the generally circular flow of comminuted material in said drainage chamber.

6. Waste disposal apparatus as defined in claim wherein said bai'fle means includes a baflle member adjacent said outlet opening aranged to deflect the flow pattern of material passing through said opening.

7. Waste disposal apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said battle means includes a first baifie member adjacent said outlet opening arranged to deflect the flow pattern of material passing through said opening, and a second battle member projecting from said outer and bottom walls substantially diametrically opposite said first baffle member.

8. Waste disposal apparatus comprising a housing having a comminuting chamber with an inlet opening for waste material, comminuting means in said chamber including rotary impeller means overlying a generally annular drainage chamber defined by a cylindrical inner wall, a cylindrical outer wall and an annular bottom wall downwardly inclined in spiral form in the direction of rotation of said impeller means, an outlet opening in said outer wall adjacent the lowermost portion of said bottom wall, and baflie means in said drainage chamber for de fleeting the flow of comminuted material away from the ouer wall of said drainage chamber, said baflie means including 1a first baffle member having a generally triangular cross-section in planes both perpendicular and horizontal with respect to the axis of rotation of said impeller means, said first baffle member being located adjacent said outlet opening and projecting from said outer and bottom walls with its surfaces tapering downwardly and inwardly into the path of material flowing toward said opening, and a second battle member projecting from said outer wall substantially diametrically opposite said first baffle member.

9. Waste disposal apparatus comprising a housing having a comminuting chamber with an inlet opening for waste material, comminuting means in said chamber including rotary impeller means overlying a generally annular drainage chamber defined by a cylindrical outer wall, a cylindrical inner wall, and an annular bottom wall downwardly inclined in spiral form in the direction of notation of said impeller means, an outlet opening in said outer wall adjacent the lowermost portion of said bottom wall, and a battle member formed on said outer and bottom walls adjacent said outlet opening and projecting into said drainage chamber so as to deflect inwardly toward said inner wall the flow of material discharged through said opening.

10. Waste disposal apparatus comprising a housing having a comminuting chamber with an inlet opening for Waste material, comminuting means in said chamber including rotary impeller means overlying a generally annular drainage chamber having an outlet opening through which comminuted material is discharged from said drainage chamber, and a plurality of baflie members in the portion of said drainage chamber extending in the counterdirection of rotation of said impeller means from said outlet opening to a point substantially two hundred degrees removed therefrom.

11. Waste disposal apparatus comprising a housing having a comminuting chamber with an inlet opening for waste material, comminuting means in said chamber including rotary impeller means overlying a generally annular drainage chamber having an outer wall and :an outlet opening through which comminuted material is discharged from said drainage chamber, and a plurality of battle members on said outer wall projecting in the portion of said drainage chamber extending in the counter-direction of rotation of said impeller means from said outlet opening to a point substantially two hundred degrees removed therefrom.

12. Waste disposal apparatus comprising a housing having a comminuting chamber with an inlet opening for waste material, comminuting means in said chamber including rotary impeller means overlying a generally annular drainage chamber defined by a cylindrical outer wall, a cylindrical inner wall, and an annular bottom wall downwardly inclined in spiral form in the direction of rotation of said impeller means, an outlet opening in said outer wall adjacent the lowermost portion of said bottom wall, and a plurality of baflie members on said outer and bottom walls projecing into the portion of said drainage chamber extending in the counter-direction of rotation of said impeller means from said outlet opening to a point substantially two hundred degrees removed therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,669,395 Swisher Feb. 16, 1954 

